1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains generally to illumination, and more particularly to an apparatus for illuminating a pot containing flowers, plants or simulations thereof. In one preferred embodiment, a telescopic light base couples to a flower pot of indeterminate size, while safely and securely supporting a light for ornamental illumination of the flower pot and contents.
2. Description of the Related Art
Illumination was likely purely utilitarian in the earliest times, when fire was revered for heat, warmth, the illumination of caves and other dark areas, and extension of daylight. However, and particularly with the advent of electric lights, there has been a marked and extensive blending of utilitarian functions with artistic, ornamental, or otherwise attractive and pleasant illumination.
The blending of function is apparent in the illumination of plants, flowers, and simulations thereof. A number of artisans have combined illumination with plants in containers, as illustrated for exemplary purposes in U.S. Pat. No. 1,419,152 by Lansing et al, entitled “Electric flower lamp;” Des 234,221 by Upchurch, entitled “Lamp or the like;” Des 242,941 by Nagata, entitled “Combined lamp and planter or similar article;” and Des 323,794 by Wianecki, entitled “Combined planter and lamp;” the teachings of each which are incorporated herein by reference. While suitable for plant ornamental and perhaps utilitarian illumination, depending upon the design, each of these incorporate a pot of particular size and geometry directly into the construction of the light fixture. Consequently, it is impossible to apply the same light fixture to a different pot volume or geometry. Also, the combination of pot directly with stand makes the assembly somewhat larger and more difficult to both ship and inventory. Finally, in the event of a need for service or other need to access or remove the light fixture, the pot must first be emptied of dirt and plants.
Other artisans have added ornamental illumination through lights incorporated directly into or supported on the pot. Exemplary of this technique, and incorporated herein by reference, are U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,349,864 by Smith, entitled “Lighted plant stand;” 5,741,061 by Lehmann et al, entitled “Light-up planter;” 5,951,154 by Carl et al, entitled “Illuminating box-shaped planter with light assembly, light element channel, and glass panel for multidirectional lighting;” United Kingdom patent application 2,230,684 A by Hall, entitled “Illuminated plant holder;” and Japanese laid-open application 6-217645 A by Matsuzaki et al, entitled “Ornamental pot”. A number of these patents provide interesting and ornamental up-lighting of plants within the pot, but these suffer from the similar limitation of being restricted to the pot for which the lighting was designed or is fitted with. Furthermore, while up-lighting provides artistic effect with grasses and other ornamental plants, flower blossoms and some other plants tend not to be effectively displayed by upward illumination. Finally, many of these incorporate the lights adjacent the top rim of the pot, but the lights used will also directly illuminate the pot wall. Consequently, attention is not only drawn to the pleasant plant above the pot upper edge, but also and in many cases more intensely down to the pot. As may be apparent, in many instances it is undesirable to illuminate the pot and not more intensely illuminate the plant above.
Another U.S. Pat. No. 5,860,248 by Peters, entitled “Planter hanger,” the teachings which are incorporated herein by reference, illustrates a plant hanger with an illuminating light above the pot. This patent provides a more universal adaptation to diverse pots than much of the prior art described herein above, though being limited to small pots and locations providing sufficiently secure anchoring to permit the pot of chosen size to be safely suspended.
In other known instances, a designer will install a light fixture in a particular location upon a building, such as on a wall or the like, and illuminate one or more plants adjacent the building-mounted light. While commonly used, and suited to any type of pot, this approach is limited to locations where suitable building structure exists. Furthermore, the cost of installation is very high, and the ability to rearrange does not practically exist, since the fixture must be relocated at great expense. Finally, with structural installations it is much more difficult to illuminate just one plant, and instead a larger general area is illuminated, even when well-focused reflector bulbs are employed.
Without the structural installation, lamp poles of the prior art are simply too top-heavy and readily tipped to be safely and reliably used with prior art pots. Nevertheless, there are a variety of known lighting structures and fixtures which are exemplary of those used or readily coupled with lamp posts or poles, including for exemplary purposes and not limiting thereto U.S. Pat. No. 6,776,511 by Lindsay, entitled “Structures for lighting fixtures;” Des 277,511 by Patel, entitled “Outdoor light;” and Des 448,510 by Milicia, entitled “Outdoor lighting fixture;” the contents of each which are incorporated herein by reference.
In addition to the foregoing patents, Webster's New Universal Unabridged Dictionary, Second Edition copyright 1983, is incorporated herein by reference in entirety for the definitions of words and terms used herein.